Defective Infant Formula Products & Lawsuits

 

Was your baby born prematurely? Was your baby given Infant formula in the hospital? Did your child subsequently experience stomach problems? Did those stomach problems lead to infection, sepsis, surgery and/or permanent injury? Your child may have received cow milk-based formula. The formula may have caused stomach problems and other injuries. If you answered “yes” to the above questions your child may have a claim for injuries. Our firm will conduct a free investigation to determine if the cow-based formula caused your baby’s medical problems.

Pre-mature Infant Formula and Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC).

Reports have been released linking Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) to Pre-mature Infant Formulas. Specifically, it has been alleged, that cow’s milk-based formula products, like Similac or Enfamil, which are used as a substitute for breastmilk and breastfeeding, significantly increase a premature baby’s risk of developing NEC and are extremely dangerous to the health of the child. It has also been alleged that the manufacturers of these products provided misleading information regarding the safety of their formulas and failed to warn parents regarding the risks and dangers of their products.

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) In Pre-mature and Underweight Babies

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious life-threatening disease which causes bacteria to invade the wall of the intestines of premature infants and newborn babies, damages their intestines/bowels and has tragically been linked to an increased risk of permanent injury and death. It has been shown to develop in premature/newborn babies who are fed cow-milk based infant formula products instead of breast milk. Symptoms of NEC include:

  • Abdominal distention (swelling)
  • Bloody stools
  • Poor feeding, or feeding intolerance
  • Bile-colored (green) vomiting or gastric drainage
  • Signs of infection such as lethargy (sluggishness) and apnea (cessation of breathing)
  • Temperature instability

The research showing that cow-milk formulas like Similac and Enfamil increase the risk of NEC in premature babies has been around for decades. The manufacturers of these formulas have known about this but chose not to include any warning language or guidelines about the risk of NEC associated with their products. Similac is made by Abbott Laboratories Inc. (“Abbott”) and Enfamil is manufactured by Mead Johnson Nutrition  (“Mead”).

Similac Lawsuit

Abbott Laboratories, Inc. manufactures, designs, formulates prepares, tests, provides instructions, markets, labels, packages, places into the stream of commerce in all fifty states, and sells premature infant formula including Similac.

 

Enfamil Lawsuit

 Mead Johnson & Company, LLC and/or Mead Johnson Nutrition Company manufactures, designs, formulates, prepares, tests, provides instructions, markets, labels, packages, places into the stream of commerce in all fifty states, and sells premature infant formula products including Enfamil.

 Over the last 12 months, a stream of product liability lawsuits has been brought against Abbott and Mead regarding their failure to warn about the risk their products present for NEC in premature infants. The lawsuits are being filed by parents on behalf of premature babies who were fed Similac or Enfamil and subsequently developed an NEC infection resulting in serious injury or death. The allegations in these lawsuits are simple and powerful. The plaintiffs claim that if Mead and Abbott had included a warning about NEC on their products, they would have used a different formula and their children would not have developed NEC.

Contact Our Enfamil and Similac Lawyers Today

If your child was born underweight or premature and was provided Premature Infant Formula and subsequently suffered from Necrotizing Enterocolitis, you may be entitled to pursue financial compensation against the responsible individuals by filing a lawsuit.

Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars on behalf of injured consumers, and we will fight for you and your loved ones. Contact us today.